


Etched in Flesh

by Nameha



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Murder, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Gentleness, Hurt/Comfort, Implied one-sided attraction, M/M, Warring States Period (Naruto), implied one-sided pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22294837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nameha/pseuds/Nameha
Summary: Tobirama has always hated his soulmate. From the moment the damnable mark appears when he’s 11. Aching to cut them down in battle and finally free himself of being shackled to an Uchiha.Kagami has always loved his soulmate. From the time he learns to read the name over his heart. Aching to meet and cherish them. He hopes whoever they are loves him just as much.
Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Kagami, implied Hashirama/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 28
Kudos: 386





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the idea of soulmates! even more the idea of a reluctant soulmate.
> 
> This takes place in an alternate timeline where Hashirama and Madara continued fighting and didn't found the Leaf Village together (Yet). I set the age as 11 years apart for Tobirama and Kagami (Even though I think in Canon Tobirama was like 32 and Kagami was 19?) Just so that their a little closer and still adults when they meet!

Tobirama is 11 when Hashirama asks him to brush his hair after his bath.

“It would stop the fighting…” Hashirama sulked. Sitting cross legged on the tatami mat of their shared room. Tobirama brushing out Hashirama’s wet hair from behind him.

“What would?” Tobirama asks, the brush coming down in long strokes through Hashirama’s tangled hair. Though he has an inkling of the tangent his older brother was about to go off on.

“If Madara and I had soul-marks…” Hashirama sighs dreamily and Tobirama pulls a knot with particular viciousness, making Hashirama yelp. Tobirama rolls his eyes. His brother was a romantic, a true idealist with his dreams of uniting their clans. Stopping the blood that had been shed for generations.

“Tobira!” Hashirama whined, “Our clans would have to stop fighting if that happened! He would finally realize what we have is destiny!”  
“What you have, brother, is a pipe dream. Soul-marks? you’re too old for fantasy nonsense.”

“But Tobira….” Hashirama turned to him, a full pout on his lips. What obsession Hashirama had for soul-marks was only eclipsed by his obsession with that damnable Uchiha Madara.  
“Enough, Anija. If you had a soul-mark, and you do not because if you did you would never shut up about it, it would have appeared by now! you’ve said it yourself, on your endless crying–”

“I do not cry!” Hashirama said, eyes beginning to shine wetly.

“As I was saying,” Tobirama continued, dryly, “Your endless crying fits, A soul-mark appears on someone at the time of their partner’s birth. If I recall correctly, and be assured that I do, you and Madara are the same age.” 

“It’s not fair…we should be together!” Hashirama threw himself on the floor, pulling a blanket over himself. Folding his arms over his head with a sniffle. Tobirama clicks his tongue, growing annoyed with his brother’s antics. Hashirama was 13, he should have grown out of this childishness already. Even being on the cusp of 11, Tobirama already knew the world was not a fair place. It was a relentless and cruel.

“Anija, are you just about finished?” Tobirama gathers the brush and comb, tucking it neatly into the silk bag their mother owned. From under the tangle of his limbs Hashirama gives another sniffle.

“No….”  
“Clearly…” Tobirama rises with a sigh, “I’m going into the bath now.”  
Hashirama gives a small sound in response as he rolls over, burying himself further in his blankets.

How unreasonable Hashirama could be, Tobirama though as he slid the door shut behind him. Placing a towel by the large basin and dipping his feet in before submerging himself fully in the steaming water. The heat melting away the tensions from today’s fight, or well, skirmish that he had taken part of today. The Uchiha seemed to be growing more bold, encroaching on Senju land more frequently as of late. He wanted this war to be over, if only for the sake of his brother’s heart. 

Hashirama could play at being loud and boisterous all he wanted on the battlefield. Yelling proclamations of peace and friendship, to the wild haired Uchiha heir, while sporting a mega watt smile. But Tobirama knew the fighting tore his brothers gentle soul apart. Tobirama wasn’t like him in that regard, or in well any capacity, he thought as he let himself sink deeper in tub. 

Hashirama was loving and warm, albeit childish. Tobirama knew that he was colder, had inherited his father’s suspicious nature and grew more somber with each pass of the seasons. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the hard surface of the tub.

His eyes snapped open as he lurched forward, slapping a hand against his chest, the water sloshing out of the tub in great waves and hitting the floor in wet slaps. His eyes screwed shut as the pain seared through him, branding him. He panted as he dragged himself out of the tub and onto the wet wooden floor to lay on his back. 

It was gone as quick as it came. There was no pain, no pressure. Just a, minute, lingering sensation. To him, because of his unusual sensory abilities, he could feel the background thrum, the small candle light flicker of chakra now embedded above his heart. It was warm, soft even. 

A chakra signature.

He felt dizzy as he traced a timid finger just under his collarbone. As he thought, there was no physical mark, it was purely chakra based. He rose on shaking legs. He had to get a hold of himself. He exhaled a breathe to collect himself before marching up to the fogged mirror. Wiping away the condensation with his hand, red eyes catching the light, as he trailed down to his chest.

No.

A cold anger settled in his stomach.

It shouldn’t be.

Tobirama reared up and put his fist through the mirror. Glass cutting into his knuckles, blood dripping from the wound down the length of his arm. Through the shattered and cracked remnants of the mirror, the mark, the name, stared back at him. Taunting him. He grit his teeth, clenching his jaw so tightly he swore he heard a tooth crack.

Uchiha K. was scrawled in neat, red, script under his collarbone and above his heart. It burned him, not physically, the shame and embarrassment that was quickly mounting in his chest. 

They had taken too much from him already. 

How could one be his soulmate, if Uchiha didn’t have a soul. How could he love his little brother’s murder’s. He hated them, he hated them all. 

But most of all, he hated the one who shackled him to them. He hated his soulmate. He itched to take a kunai and crudely cut out this misplaced name. Knowing the mark would remain, seared into his chakra pathways. He would never be free from it.

The door slid open and Hashirama stumbled in.

“Tobirama! Are you okay?! I heard something and I–”

Tobirama stiffened, his hands balling into fists. His breathing came out in irregular puffs as he shot a glare over his shoulder. Hashirama’s eyebrows pinched in concern as he took in the state of the bathroom. From the water all over the floor, to the overturned towel rack and finally towards the splintered remains of the mirror.

“Tobi–”  
“It’s nothing. Anija.” Tobirama’s voice was cutting, cold. Still feeling the waves of anger lapping at his mind.  
“You’re hand! It’s not nothing, come here!” 

Hashirama rushed towards his brother, sitting him down, never minding the rules of common decency or privacy. Those concepts were foreign to Hashirama. He got to work on healing his brothers hand, the long lacerations sealing with ease under his medical ninjutsu. Tobirama’s eyes flickered from Hashirama’s face, so intense when at work, to his own chest. It seems Hashirama either didn’t see the mark…or couldn’t see it.

Tobirama relaxed, no one would know of his shame.

o0o0o0o

Kagami is 8 when he learns to read the complex Kanji characters scrawled on his chest in shimmering blue ink, Senju T. He’s always had these strange symbols, for as long as he could remember, though no one else could see them. 

He grew up hearing stories about soulmates, proudly proclaiming that he did, in fact, have one! Though even at his young age, he realized the gravity of his soulmates lineage. Their clans had been at war for generations. He heard it was ill luck to announce the name of your soulmate before you met them anyways. So he kept the name a secret, something and someone just for him.

No one believed him, of course, spouting the fact he had a soul-mark, patting him gently on the head with kind words such as:  
“Of course you do, sweetie”  
“There’s someone out there for everyone.”

And not so kind words, with a push and a shove:  
“Then what does the name say? You can’t say? yeah cause it’s not there, stupid.”  
“No offense, Kagami. But soul-marks only happen to really important people.”

But Kagami wouldn’t relent, there was someone he was important to. No doubt whoever it was felt the same. They were soulmates, after all. Made for each other. Kagami has always loved his soulmate and as the years went by his love grew. 

“You know,” Izuna says one day while he takes a bite of his apple, “Between you and me, I think Aniki wishes he had a soulmate. He keeps crying to me about it.”

“I have a soulmate!” Kagami pipes up from his push ups, sweat dampening his brow but not his smile.

“Oh, yeah?” Izuna cocks an eyebrow at him while chewing. Lounging in the grass and “overseeing” Kagami’s training.

“Well, who is it?”  
“I have no idea!” Kagami grins up at him and Izuna feels a vein in his forehead throb before he chucks the apple at Kagami’s head.

“O-ow! Why’d you hit me!” Kagami drops from the push up position to hold his forehead, now decorated with sweat and a nice welt from the apple.

“For being as dumb as my brother.” Izuna gives him a smile, one with too many teeth to be friendly. Kagami responds in kind with a pouting frown of his own.

“That’s really mean…”

Even if he didn’t know who they were, even if they were from a rival clan. Kagami daydreamed about the day they would finally meet. Would they be strong? Would they be kind? Would they be beautiful? but most importantly would they love him back? no doubt that they would!

The oceanic swell of the chakra embedded in him lulled him to sleep every night as he traced over the name with a happy sigh. Who were they? He would wonder late at night with a smile, casually peeking at the name with a hand mirror. Kagami didn’t particularly mind if they were a man or a woman, they were his after all! Someone he could pour his love into and take care of. Someone he could cherish. He did cherish them, even now, even without a face to put the name too.

o0o0o0o

Tobirama is 17. Sharpening his blade, as Hashirama is, once again, crying about soulmates and soul-marks after their latest battle against the Uchiha.

“That’s the only way he would relent! Even though he’s the clan head now! He said if we had soul-marks then he would surely stop fighting! why can’t we be soulmates with out the marks! I’ve felt it when we’re fighting! I know his heart, Tobirama, and he knows mine!”

Tobirama had been meaning to ask Hashirama about soul-marks. But could never find a time to bring it up. Lest Hashirama think he was actually interested or worse that he had one of his own. 

“Anija, what if you don’t love your soulmate?” Tobirama asked casually. Bringing his blade up to inspect his work, turning it over, until he’s satisfied.

Hashirama snaps his head to Tobirama so quickly that his hair flies in the opposite direction. He looks absolutely scandalized.

“What?! You can’t just not love your soulmate, Tobirama! It doesn’t work like that!”  
“How can you love someone you’ve never met?”  
“Well, from the stories that granny told me…when you see them…you just feel something, like you can’t look away from them, like you found a fire to keep you warm at night!”

Tobirama levels him, unimpressed.

“That’s all? a feeling?” Tobirama raised an eyebrow, setting aside his whetstone.  
“Soulmates are like a divine intervention! great changes happen around them, Tobirama. It’s not just an ordinary occurrence.” Hashirama pouted, folding his arms, his little brother could be so mean!

Tobirama scoffed at his brother’s idealism. Divine intervention? The only divinity Tobirama ever knew was his own ingenuity. Though it appears somewhere, out there, an entity had a cruel sense of humor. Tobirama couldn’t help but to feel mocked.

“What happens if one of the pair die? Does the mark go away?”

Hashirama’s eyes narrow at him, a scowl disrupting his pleasant features. Tobirama thinks he’s asked one too many questions with how his brother’s dark eyes are boring into him.

“You’re really mean, do you know that? Like really, really, mean?”

Tobirama blinks owlishly at him. Actually unsure, this time, of what he’s done to cause his brother to frown.

“I suppose, yes.” Hashirama’s tone is clipped as he responds.  
“But why you would ask that is really horrible, Tobirama! If someone loses their soulmate that’s part of themselves! a void that will never be filled! who thinks of something so numbing!” Hashirama stands with a huff and scrubs a hand over his face.

“It was just a question, you’ve made me curious with your years of babbling. I just want to know how it works.” Tobirama quickly diverts the conversion, relieving himself of any suspicion. Hashirama knows his curiosity, once peaked, is not easily satiated.

Hashirama’s eyes shine as Tobirama, to him, finally takes an interest in one of Hashirama’s greatest passions. He quickly seats himself closer to his younger brother and throws himself fully into the conversation. It never ceases to amaze Tobirama that his brother’s moods could swing so quickly in either direction.

“Okay! okay! So, it’s said that soulmates are fated to be together, but you already know that. They’re supposed to bring about a great change in their respective lifetimes, that’s why it happens so rarely! It’s like a nudge in the right direction for history! That’s why I so badly want to have one….” Hashirama looks to the side, worrying his lower lip between his teeth.

“With Madara. I know that as well.” Tobirama interjects, hoping to keep Hashirama on track.  
“Yes! That way we can finally realize our dream! I know Madara, as prickly as he is, wants our dream to come true! But we can’t be together, not like this…anyways…”

Tobirama waits patiently, only the slight tapping of his finger giving him away, for Hashirama to proceed. Sensing that Tobirama’s patience is waning, Hashirama quickly continues with a smile.

“A soul-mark appears when both are born, so if you’re older and your soulmate isn’t born yet, then you won’t have one until they are! But it’s not like a physical mark…” Hashirama puts a finger under his chin in thought before he snaps his fingers, finally able to convey his thoughts.

“it’s like a chakra signature, except it’s a little more complex…it’s what the other person is really like in their hearts! um, what else, oh! they can find each other with it! it’s supposed to be a bright beacon, so if they’re in the same room they can know immediately! It also goes both ways, if you can sense them the other person can definitely sense you! and the best part is, when you finally meet them the mark’s visible to everyone!”

Tobirama stiffens. If he meets his soulmate, this wretched Uchiha whose name haunts him every waking moment, then everyone else will know as well.

“And if something happens to them?”

Hashirama grows grim at the mention, he always was so sensitive.

“Then the mark disappears…and half of your soul is lost, that’s really sad to think about Tobirama!”  
“Again, Anija, it’s just a question. Be reasonable.”  
“I am! I am! But if you had a soulmate you would want to protect and cherish them!”  
“Cherish?”  
“Yes! I can only imagine the love you would feel for them…Like finally being able to breathe or feeling your heart race for the first time. You would never want to be apart!”

Tobirama slides his eyes to the side. He can’t imagine such a possibility. To love an Uchiha, cherish them, laughable. His heart grew cold as the flowers grew tall around his brothers’ grave. Year after year, his love siphoned into the earth. 

There was no love left for an Uchiha.  
o0o0o0o

Kagami is 19 when he finds himself alone in his room, in one of the lonely houses of the various Uchiha compounds. He whispers to the name etched in his skin. To tell his soulmate about his day and how he was faring, how he was getting stronger with each passing day and how soon he would be able to go into battle. To see the world and hopefully find them. He wondered how it would play out.

“If we see each other on the battle field, you know since our clans our enemies and all, I think we would drop our weapons and run to each other. Is that weird? A little cliche, I know. But I would be so excited! So happy to see you! I Wonder if you’ll be just as happy, oh, yeah, you would be! I bet you’re thinking about me too!” Kagami flipped himself on his stomach with a sigh, propping his chin up with his hands.

“Sometimes, I think you’d be upset that I’m an Uchiha. Because you’re Senju. I’m silly, right? How could something like that possibly upset you?” Kagami giggles, his eyes turning up into crescents as he smiles.

“Madara says in a couple more years I’ll be ready for the big battles. He’s had me just doing messenger missions. But at least I get to be out of the compound.” Kagami sighs, content on being a messenger but dreaming of something bigger.

“A lot of things have changed since he’s become clan head, not that I really remember what it was like when his dad was in charge, but he’s made it so that people younger then 15 can’t fight. A lot of people were mad at him for it, but apparently Hashirama, I wonder if you know him? I mean, he is your clan head, decided to do the same thing. Sometimes I wonder if they really are soulmates.”

Kagami taps his finger against his cheek.

“But I don’t think so, Madara cries too much about having to fight Hashirama for that to be the case. I think you’d find it funny that Madara cares so much, I know he has a really bad reputation, well, um, I guess he deserves it. But! he’s really kind, kinder then Izuna.” Kagami makes a face at the mention of Izuna, recalling the brutal training session Izuna had put him through earlier that week after coming back from a front lines. Izuna had been in a terrible mood, he apparently didn’t win that fight.

“Izuna gets really mad about having to fight too, though it’s more like him complaining about someone he calls an ‘Albino bastard.’” 

Kagami thinks for a second with a blink, pulling a frown at Izuna’s colorful choice of words that definitely did not stop at insulting someone’s appearance. 

“That’s pretty mean, huh? Sorry.”

Kagami lays his head on his arms and closes his eyes, tapping into the lull of the deep water chakra that lays heavy in his chest. He curls into it, smiling into the crook of his elbow as his hair falls over his face.

“I hope I’ll see you soon, I really can’t wait.”

o0o0o0o

At 31 Tobirama stands on the newest battlefield. His prized fur, still white against the backdrop of carnage, is tousled by the wind. Blood and grime smeared across his cheeks like a tacky second skin. His sharp eyes roam the field, they had been successful in pushing the Uchiha back. His brother, however, isn’t apart of this fight. Hashirama is somewhere in the east, fighting Madara’s regime. It’s just Tobirama leading this faction. He shifts the heavy armor he’s clad himself in, this weight is foreign. But he’ll bear it. 

Over the years Tobirama had taken to wearing layers, upon layers, to try to hide the mark, the shame, from himself. But it could never work. Even if the others could not see it, he could still feel it. Feel it clawing at his sensory range: the candle light flame growing over the years into a roaring inferno. Every battle, for more then twenty years, he’s cut down numerous Uchiha. Though not one baring the same chakra signature seared over his heart. But he would not relent. 

His soul-mark has been tingling, he thinks today will be the day. He would find them and rid himself of this curse.

A Senju, though not just any Senju, the white ghost is destined for an Uchiha, it made him nauseous. Taking his fury out on those brave, or stupid, enough to engage him. He slaughters them, without mercy without compassion. His eyes closed to the death he brings. All he sees is his brother’s murder’s in them. They were nothing to him, nothing but bodies to feed a hungry God.

Every battle, a disappointment. He grinds his teeth. His Uchiha hasn’t fallen to anyone else in a battle, he knows this. The mark still shines like a beacon, bright red against his own blue charka aura. Taunting him with it’s warmth, with it’s tenderness. No Uchiha is tender, the only warmth they can conjure is their katon.

He can hear the Uchiha retreating, trying to fall back as his men advance. He’s suffered his own causalities. But the Uchiha have suffered more. He won’t let them get away. His brother may pride himself on few deaths on either side. But Tobirama does not. The pride he has is measured in bodies and blood spilt. 

Tobirama can sense the reinforcements that the Uchiha had called for advancing from the hills and into the valley below. But their numbers wouldn’t save them. Tobirama stills, something…or someone is approaching. Tobirama cuts his eyes up, to the hill. Chakra so bright, it makes him squint. He takes a step back. He knows this signature. It’s been with him for years, he lowers his sword in anticipation. 

Focusing intently on the Uchiha who reaches the summit, standing a top the grassy plane. Another Uchiha tries to take advantage of Tobirama’s distracted state. Lunging at him with Kunai in hand. Tobirama doesn’t tear his eyes away from the sight, as his blade cuts easily into the Uchiha’s abdomen. 

He sees him, dark eyes framed by a wild crown of curls that bounce in the sunlight and a smile on his face. 

His soulmate.

A wet gurgling plea falls from the slain Uchiha as he slides off the blade, to slump at Tobirama’s feet. Tobirama pays no mind to the lifeless body nor the blood that glistens on his sword. Eyes narrowing dangerously on the offender in question.

His soulmate finally notices him when they lock eyes.

His soulmates smile falls as his eyes widen. His hand up. Tobirama a timid wave, more like a awkward twitch of the fingers, then, he bolts. Tobirama stops for a moment, caught off guard by his soulmates cowardice before he gives chase. 

He will not get away from him.

o0o0o0o

Kagami is 21 when he readies for battle, he had been called on to be part of the reinforcement battalion to the west. He was brimming with excitement, he could hardly contain himself as he fastened the straps of his armor.

“Madara is sending me to the west today. I wonder if today is the day! I kind of get this feeling…our soul-mark is tingling. It feels like it’s pulling me in that direction…” Kagami grins as he pulls his blade over his shoulder to slide it in the holder. Giving himself a once over in the mirror.

“I mastered a new technique, I think you’ll be impressed, I’m even faster then Izuna now. I’m pretty cool, right?” Kagami winks at the soul-mark’s reflection before sliding his chest plate into place. A harsh knock startles him out of his one sided conversation. Making him jump and his heart thump against his ribs.

“Kagami! Are you ready yet?! we’re moving out!” The knocking intensifies.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Kagami calls over his shoulder, slumping against the mirror for a moment to catch his breath, he catches his eyes in the mirror and activates his sharingan. It spins in delight as he grins, placing a hand over his heart.

“I’ll be seeing you!”  
“Who the hell’re you talking to?!”  
“It’s called a pep talk!”  
“Hurry the hell up!”

Kagami grabs his weapons pouch from the table and throws open the door, grinning while he runs in formation with his team. He runs and runs and runs. 

His heart rate picking up to thunder in his ears, not from the exertion, but from the pounding of waves that swell in his soul mark. His stomach flutters as he nears the battlefield, jumping over the fallen trees and racing up the hill to enter the clearing below. He can sense it now, it’s like a tide wave pulling him out to sea.   
He breaks the top of the hill to stand with a grin. Surveying his surroundings, he was supposed to be giving aid to his clan. But he can’t think of them right now. His mind and heart are dead set on finding _them_.

He drags his eyes across the carnage of the battle field. Senju and Uchiha clashing in a fury of weapons and jutsu. The smell of burning flesh and blood carrying on the wind. His eyes dart across the unfamiliar faces of the Senju, honing in on the ocean swell that calls to him.

There! Down below, in the center of the frenzy. The fan clad bodies scatter away from the object of his affection. He raises a hand to wave wildly, draw attention his soul mates attention. 

When his eyes fall upon them, his heart stops.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh. No.

His soulmate’s eyes cut to him. Lethal red, so much like his own and yet too different to compare, narrowing in disgust as Kagami watches a fellow clansmen slide off his blade to crumple in a bleeding heap.

Senju T. Senju….Senju Tobirama. The white ghost, the bane of the Uchiha, the harbinger of death. Oh Amaterasu above, how did he not make the connection. How could he have been so blind for so long. All the color drains away from his face, all he manages is a twitch of his fingers and a strangled sound in the back of his throat.

I’m so fucked, Kagami’s mind sputters before it kicks into overdrive. He needs to get away. He needs to get away right the fuck now.

He bolts. 

Down the hill, past the tree line and into the woods. Panic burning his lungs as he dips under branches and leaps over the foliage. 

o0o0o0o

Tobirama smirks as he follows. The Uchiha is quite fast, impressive, Tobirama muses as he produces his trademark Hirashin kunai. But he isn’t as fast as Tobirama. Tobirama throws his marked kunai into the trees, his body flickering with inhuman speed. Imperceptible to those not blessed with a visual prowess. He draws his sword as he advances on Kagami, catching up with ease.

“You can’t out run me, soulmate!” Tobirama snarls. Passing as a white blur between the trees.

A bright clash of sword and kunai catch the sun as Kagami defends himself, his sharingan spinning as he tracks Tobirama’s movements. Tobirama quickly backs off to avoid falling prey to the sharingan’s genjutsu. He conceals himself in the trees, following the flicker of Kagami’s panicked chakra through the forest.

Tobirama chases him for what feels like hours.

Kagami clutches at his hair, tugging it to get a hold of himself. Kunai still in hand as he races through the forest. Tobirama really means to kill him. Sage, what a way to go, murdered by romanticism. When he joked about finding lethality attractive, he had no idea that this was what was going to happen!

His soulmate was supposed to love him! Not try to skewer him on sight! He hadn’t done anything to deserves this yet! Kagami felt the tell tale prickle of tears behind his eyes. Upset that this is what it was coming down to, he distractedly wipes his eyes with the back of his hands. But this was no place for tears. 

A weight barrels into his side. Sending him sprawling to the ground, he tries to pivot on his feet, hands planted against the ground, slipping in the dirt to stand. A foot connects with his ribs as he rolls onto his back. The weight settles a top his abdomen, pushing the air out of his lungs. His kunai goes flying somewhere out of sight, out of reach.

His eyes snap open, sharingan spinning in desperation when a hand is slapped over his eyes, chest heaving from exhaustion.

“Don’t.” Tobirama states calmly from on top of him. His full weight pinning Kagami to the ground.  
“De-activate your sharingan.”  
“O-okay, o-okay.”

Kagami doesn’t, hoping to fool the Senju above him. His eyes still burning with the chakra he’s channeling into them.

“….I’m a sensor, you know.”  
“Ah…” Kagami sheepishly breathes. He can feel Tobirama’s heartbeat pulsating in the mark. It’s strong and steady. He bites his lower lip, how many nights, how many years, has he fell asleep to that same sound? How many years has Tobirama been disgusted by Kagami’s own.

Kagami relents, letting the sharingan bleed to black. Tobirama waits for a moment, hand still across Kagami’s eyes. Kagami’s sweat matted curls falling over his finger tips.

“I’m going to remove my hand. If you activate your sharingan, you will lose your head quickly enough.”

Kagami nods, shoulders tensed by his ears. Tobirama can feel it too, Kagami’s heartbeat. The rapid flutter of fear and….Tobirama’s eyes narrow as his brows pinch together in confusion. There’s no anger, not in his chakra, not in the blazing mark that throbs with each quick intake breath. 

The tender fire that has been stoked for years does not flicker, does not wane or dim.

There’s fear here, Tobirama knows, Kagami’s chakra is steeped in it. But there’s an under current of great sadness. A sadness that Tobirama can’t place. Is he sad to be losing his life? Should he not be angry? The other Uchiha, of all the ones he had cut down their chakra burned with both fear and loathing. 

But not this one, not his soulmate.

Obsidian meets ruby as Kagami’s eyes flutter open, his dark pupils darting across Tobirama’s face as his breath catches in his throat. Oh, Kagami thought. He was right. His soulmate was strong, was beautiful. Kagami’s hands curl into tight fists at his sides.

Tobirama looks down at him, the delicate shape of his dark eyes and full lashes. The way his hair falls to frame his face, splayed out like a dark halo. Even marred by dirt and fright his expression is gentle. Tobirama inhales sharply through his teeth. It’s like he’s seeing an Uchiha for the first time, really seeing him. How his eyes shine, even as dark as they are, from the light that filters through the trees, how the breeze gently sway his bangs from his face.

_Oh_

Tobirama feels a sharp tug from his soul-mark, he raises a hand and Kagami flinches, Tobirama stills his movement before proceeding slowly. Gently undoing the strap on Kagami’s chest plate and moving it aside to expose his undershirt. He pulls the fabric away to view the shimmering blue ink.   
His named etched in the flesh. 

He traces over it and Kagami shivers, bringing a hand up before it’s quickly snatched by the wrist. Tobirama’s eyes snap towards him and a heated look of anger is directed at Kagami. Tobirama tightens his hold and Kagami winces, his lip drawing up to expose his teeth.

“Don’t.” Tobirama hisses and Kagami complies, letting his hand go limp, his eyes never leaving Tobirama’s face. Kagami’s fingers tremble but he doesn’t make another move for Tobirama. Tobirama uses his free hand to unsheathe his sword, drawing it up as he lets go of Kagami’s wrist. Kagami let’s his arm fall back to his side.

He holds his sword, with both hands on the hilt, above Kagami’s throat.

Tobirama feels a pang of dread, hurt, at what he’s about to do. But it has to be done. He has to be free. Who is he, if he’s chained to an Uchiha. What sort of shinobi to let an enemy live. What sort of Senju?

But the clawing, nagging, sensation of wrong, wrong, wrong! shoots down his spine. He shouldn’t feel this way, he shouldn’t feel the cold sensation of fear, because that’s what it is, an incomprehensible ache of loss, climbing up his throat or stinging the back of his eyes. Ghosts don’t feel, he hasn’t felt in years. This fear of loss is useless.

Senju and Uchiha….? It could have never been anyways. No matter that this feeling is screaming at him otherwise.

“If it weren’t for the laws of our clans. I could have cherished you.” Tobirama doesn’t know what makes him speak, doesn’t know why he feels he needs to explain himself. Doesn’t know why this hurt, when did it start to hurt?

He rears back, bringing the blade down when Kagami shouts.

“I’ve always cherished you!”

The blade stops.

A hair width away from Kagami’s throat, his Adam’s apple bobs against it with each shaking inhale.

“My blade stills but my heart trembles…” Tobirama murmurs, white knuckling the hilt of his blade.

“What have you done to me, soulmate?” Tobirama closes his eyes as he slumps forward, driving the blade into the ground by Kagami’s head.

Kagami looks towards the blade, sunken into the soft earth, before looking at Tobirama. Kagami swallows before he timidly raises a hand to Tobirama, pausing for a fraction of a second before placing his palm on Tobirama’s cheek. Tobirama’s eyes crack open as he studies the hand, so warm, so gentle, pressed against his cold cheek.

“You don’t…even know me. What I’ve done…Who I am. How could you?”  
“I-I, Ever since….Ever since I could read, maybe even before then…Just the thought that…that there was someone out there for me!” Kagami sits up and Tobirama falls back onto his legs.

“It didn’t matter to me! Even if I didn’t know who you were! Even if you were from a rival clan! You were mine and I loved you for that!” Kagami raises his voice and his hair bristles, his hand still pressed again Tobirama’s face. Tobirama’s eyes widen at the declaration, the bold confession of love for a stranger. 

No, they weren’t strangers, were they?

Kagami doesn’t stop moving until their positions were reversed with him situated on top of Tobirama’s lap. A startled Tobirama staring at him with a mix of confusion and bewilderment.

“It trained and fought and daydreamed about the day we would meet and I would be with you! I held you close to my heart every night! I loved you everyday for years and I still do!”  
“I…I tried to kill you.” Tobirama levels him with a hard look, uncomfortable with Kagami’s easy forgiveness.

“But you didn’t.” Kagami simply leans back with a smug smile, his arms crossing over his chest like he’d won.

“You couldn’t.” Kagami playfully taps him on the nose, Tobirama goes cross eyed looking at the offending finger before gently slapping it away. Kagami snorts and Tobirama cracks a small smile.

“Enough, Soulmate.”  
“My name’s Kagami.”  
“Very well, enough, Kagami.”  
“But, you can keep calling me Soulmate if you want. I really like the ring of it. Makes us that much closer.”  
“You’re in my lap. Isn’t that as close as you would want to be towards your would be murderer?” Tobirama’s voice is dry but his amusement is clear.

“Ah, no, actually when I was 16 I had this dream we–”  
“I should have dispatched you when I had the chance, Soulmate.” Tobirama smirks and Kagami blushes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh man oh man! the support was overwhelming! This one also got out of hand and I had to find a stopping point, ha!
> 
> I chose to describe the foreign ninja as Kaminari no Kuni(Lightening Country) shinobi since Kumogakure (Cloud Village) wasn't founded yet.

They should have been fighting. Having driven each other away from the rage of battle. Their power too immense for normal clan members to participate in their stalemate. Weapons should be crossing and jutsu hurling at breakneck speeds only to be countered with ease. 

They should have been arguing, well Madara arguing and Hashirama with a rebuttal to every word and gesture.

Instead they sat in the grass, a spot they had agreed upon during their last match. Sharing a bento that Hashirama had stashed there earlier in the day.

"So," Hashirama begins, sitting cross legged, hands on his thighs, leaning forward, "I chose purple for yours, since that's the color Tobirama always describes when you come around. But I think mine should be green! It just matches me so well! With having the mokuton and all!" Hashirama starts pulling out supplies from his weapons pouch. A green ink jar and a single etching rod.

Madara raises an eyebrow at the supplies as he finishes swallowing his inarizushi that Hashirama had packed for him. He snatches another from the box, pieces of rice stuck on his cheeks.

"My what and your what?" Madara wipes his mouth with his forearm as he pops the treat in his mouth.

Hashirama beams as he opens his yukata to expose his chest, Madara chokes.

"Our soul-marks!" Hashirama proudly displays the somewhat crude etching of Madara's name over his heart, just as Hashirama said, it was in purple ink.

"What the hell!" Madara shrieks and Hashirama frowns.  
"What? You sai-"  
"Why in Sage's name would you do something so stupid! Never mind it's my name it's upside down you stupid tree!"

Hashirama blinks and looks down.

"Oh...I didn't use a mirror. But now I can look at it!" Hashirama grins at him and Madara lunges. Taking them both to the ground, rolling in the leaves and dirt, as Madara gets the upper hand.

"Does your mokuton cause you to have wood for brains?! Is that it?! What's in there, drift wood?! Because it can't be anything useful!" Madara starts to slap Hashirama on the head with an open hand. Gloved hand smacking every which way as Hashirama tries, and fails, to bat his hand away.

"Ow! Madara! That hurts! You're so mean! A bully!" Hashirama whines and winces.

Madara continues his assault before Hashirama pushes him off. Hashirama deflates and starts drawing circles in the dirt, eyes downcast. 

"Why are you acting so depressed?!  
"Y-you don't want to have soul-marks with me?" Hashirama looks up at him, his lip quivering and Madara stiffens at the expression, face turning beet red.

"Th-thats not it! Who do you think this is going to fool?! It's just ink, Hashirama! There has to be chakra involved and whatever the hell else goes into it! The council would never believe this!"  
"Oh! Let's mix the ink with chakra then!"

Madara puts his face in his hands to muffle his scream. Before pulling at his hair. This is the man he's chosen to love?! Him?! This idiot! ?

Amaterasu above Izuna was right, Madara was dumb! At least Izuna's so called "fixation", as Madara would describe it though he isn't sure it just stops at wanting to best him in a fight, with Hashirama's damnable brother had merit by Tobirama at least being intelligent!

But not Madara! Oh, no, Madara apparently didn't have such "refined taste" in "rivals", as Izuna put it, because Madara had to go and fall head over hand for this bumbling mess of a man.

"Um, Madara?"  
"What?!" Madara snaps, looking up. Hashirama giving him a sheepish smile, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear, as he traces the lip of the ink jar.

"So...will you do it? Just to match with me then?"

Madara can feel his cheeks heat up as he scowls, near snarling.

"You're unbelievable! "God of shinobi" my ass! I can't believe you would ask of me something so unreasonable!"

But Madara, despite his ranting and scowl, snatches the ink away from Hashirama and grabs the etching tool.

"So foolish! So completely idiotic!" Madara mixes the ink and uncaps it. Hashirama watches with fond eyes and an even fonder smile.

"You're terrible! Absolutely the worst!" Madara dips the tool into the ink. The sharp end coming out in a coating of bright green. Pulling the high collar down and out of his way, having to wrestle with the fabric.

Madara continues to mutter curses and swears under his breath as he tapped the etching tool into his chest, dipping the tool back into the ink every so often. 

After a couple minutes he's finished, throwing the tool at Hashirama and capping the ink bottle before throwing that as well.

Hashirama dodges the projectiles with a grin, clapping his hands together in delight.

"Your calligraphy is really good! Much better then mine!"  
"Of course it is." Madara huffs, though he preens under the compliment as he starts to fix his shirt.

"Wait!" Hashirama leans forward to grab his shirt, to keep it open, and Madara smacks his hand.  
"Hey! Hold on it's missing something!"

Madara almost thinks he got the kanji for Hashirama's name wrong when Hashirama puts a hand to his chest and pushes chakra into the ink to make it glow.

"There!"

Madara looks down with a slight frown, rolling his eyes before covering the mark.

"I'm going to have to put a genjutsu over this, you realize that." Madara clicks his tongue.  
"Huh, why?"

Madara closes his eyes, as to not lose his absolute shit at Hashirama's stupidity. He gently taps the corner of his eye.

"Sharingan users, all of them. The whole clan, Hashirama, The. Whole. Clan."  
"Oh...Oh! Ha, sorry." Hashirama chuckles nervously, putting a hand behind his head.  
"Don't apologize, we both know you aren't the least bit sorry."

Hashirama shrugs, he truly wasn't.

"Do mine next!"  
"Absolutely not."  
"But! But! They have to match! The only sensor strong enough to see it under my chakra is Tobirama!"  
"Exactly."

Hashirama deflates again and Madara lets out a strangled noise of frustration.

"Fine! Come here!" Madara snaps, dragging Hashirama to him, his hand glowing threateningly. Hashirama sweats.

"M-Madara?? Please be gentle??"

Madara rolls his eyes and pushes his chakra into Hashirama's chest. His mark shimmers and shines. Hashirama marvels at it, tracing it before Madara pushes him back again.

"Fix your damn shirt." Madara mumbles, the tips of his pink ears hidden, thankfully, by his unruly mane.  
"Thank you!" Hashirama beams, resisting the urge to throw his arms over Madara.

It never ceases to amaze Madara that Hashirama can get his way every time, no matter the request nor opponent. 

"This changes nothing, you realize," Madara stands, grabbing his gunbai from against the tree. "The state of the war, the standings of our clans."

"Ah, yes, I'm aware." Hashirama rises, wiping his hands on his thighs to clean his pants of dirt. He throws Madara a smile, not one of his grandiose ones, the one only reserved, it seemed, for Madara. Madara scoffs but there’s the ghost of a smile on his lips before his expression hardens.

"Especially now that the clan elders have been at my back about your brother."  
"What?! Tobira?! Why!"

Madara narrows his eyes at Hashirama’s naivete.

"He's become a nuisance to the clan, Hashirama, killing more Uchiha then you save. Over the years he's become erratic and hellbent--"  
"Doesn't Izuna keep him occupied?"  
"I can't always spare Izuna to babysit your brother's blood lust! The clan elders want me to personally take care of the issue!"  
"Ah, but don't they know if something were to happen to him…then I'll decimate the compounds?" Hashirama taps his cheek in thought, looking up.

"Don't act like you could manage something like that so casually! I wouldn't allow it!" Madara bristles. Hashirama shrugs, his palms up. Madara scoffs and allows that conversation to drop. It would only lead to a screaming match. Something he’s not keen on having, although he does have a fondness for screaming and fighting. It’s just not how he wants to end a meeting that was going so well.

“I don't think Izuna would allow that anyhow. He has a…” Madara gestures to the empty air, in an attempt to find the right words, “…fixation with your brother.”  
"Oh! I know! I just see the way Tobirama looks at him!"  
"That's killing intent, Hashirama." Madara deadpans.

"Ah, could be. But the way Izuna looks at him!!"  
"That--" Madara pauses, "...I suppose is something else entirely." Madara makes a mental note to ask Izuna exactly how he feels pertaining to the sensor in question.

Hashirama pulls a face, looking in the direction of the battle still, no doubt, raging without them.

"What?" Madara turns his attention to where Hashirama is looking.  
"Shinobi from Kaminari no Kuni have passed our borders. They're coming up on our fight."  
"Well," Madara smirks as he tightens his grip on his gunbai, "Then we should go meet them."  
"I always love our temporary cease fires!"  
"Come, Hashirama! It's time to dance."  
\---  
Ah, Hashirama was right, oddly enough. Tobirama really couldn’t tear himself away from Kagami’s face. The blush from his bold words just seconds ago still adorning his cheeks accompanied by his shy lopsided grin. Tobirama’s eyes softened, he really was unlike the other Uchiha. 

Too distracted, He didn't notice the enemies presence until it was nearly too late.

He barely had time to cover Kagami when the kunai whizzed past them. Fast enough to dodge the first few but not fast enough to avoid the three that sank deeply into the exposed cracks of his armor. He winced at the impact. Tobirama wrenches the first kunai, embedded in the soft flesh of his shoulder, out with a grunt. Blood smattering in small droplets. Thinking quickly, he hooks the tip of the kunai into the ring of the second one lodged in his hip, pulling it out in one fluid motion to fling it into an enemies chest. With a wheeze he realizes he won’t be able to get the third kunai, the one jammed between his ribs, out. He uses the first kunai to deflect a barrage of shuriken. 

"Kaminari nin?!" Kagami hisses, his head pressed just under Tobirama's chin,  
"Why are they so far into the border!"

"No doubt taking advantage of our clans battle. Coming to pick apart the exhausted." Tobirama mutters, "Cowards."

Kagami struggles out from under Tobirama, getting a kunai to the thigh as soon as he stands. He grunts at the serrated throb of pain, his lips peeling back in a silent snarl. His eyes widen at the sight of a paper bomb attached to the end, fluttering in the breeze. He grabs the kunai by the handle, ripping it out without a second thought. 

Flickering behind an enemy and slapping it into their back.

"You can have this back!" Kagami shouts as he flickers away, back to Tobirama's side, from the explosion. He kneels by Tobirama, looping an arm around his waist and pulling him up to stand. 

Tobirama quirks a brow at Kagami, truly impressed with Kagami’s speed and ability to react and deflect. Perhaps he should expect as much from his soulmate. Kagami’s eyes are hard as he stares down the foreign ninja.

Tobirama is a great deal heavier, and taller, then Kagami. They sway to the side due to Kagami's wounded thigh. Kagami shrinks away from the pressure, frowning, shifting his weight onto his good leg.

"We got to move!" Kagami chances a glance at Tobirama, while biting the inside of his lip. 

Tobirama leans his weight into Kagami. Kagami feels his cheeks burn from the proximity. Tobirama’s hair tickling the shell of his ear. But for the most part Tobirama remains upright and steadfast. He makes a single handed seal with a grimace.

"Water dragon jutsu!"

The moisture is pulled from the air as Tobirama's water dragon manifests. A colossus that over takes those slow enough to be swallowed up, drowning them quickly and efficiently. Kagami whistles at the display, marveling at the beast. His eyes following the fluidity of the dragon’s winding attacks, enraptured by the glittering scales that catch and amplify the suns harsh light. 

His eyes slide up to Tobirama, they’re so close now. Tobirama’s cheek resting against Kagami’s temple. A dangerous smirk on his lips, the tips of his teeth peeking out from between his lips, eyes narrowed as he concentrates. Kagami feels his heart melt at the sight. He really did find lethality attractive. He sighs as he takes in Tobirama’s face. But his admiration doesn’t blind him to the sweat accumulating on Tobirama’s brow or the way his body sags from injury.

Kagami’s snapped out of his reverie soon enough. A shuriken cuts across the high of his cheek, his eye a near miss. He pivots on his heel, facing the assailant, channeling chakra to his eyes in a quick burst. Activating his sharingan, tomoe spinning wildly, ensnaring a fair number of Kaminari shinobi in genjutsu. They drown in his gaze. Bodies twitching and jerking before falling still, eyes rolling back as they’re banished to their own private hell, foaming at the mouths. 

“Ha! see that! I’m pretty cool, huh?” Kagami turns his still searing gaze on Tobirama with a smile. His eyes turned up at the corners, tomoe swirling whirlpools beneath his lashes. Tobirama flinches back from the sight violently, eyes widening a fraction before he slams them shut. Shoving Kagami away with unnecessary strength. The wind knocked out of Kagami’s chest, he gasps as he’s forced back. Losing his balance and dropping to the dirt. Stricken with confusion, trying to catch his breath. The ground blurs and doubles before him, from the impact, his head swimming.

Tobirama is pointedly looking away from him now, avoiding his face, avoiding him entirely. All Kagami can glimpse is a frown and tight jaw from his position on the ground, Tobirama turned to face away from him. Kagami grinds his teeth, unsure of what provoked him. Surely it had to be something else. It had to be. It had to be. It was something else. It was…

Ah, Kagami’s eyes widen in realization, as he catches the glow of his eyes in a wayward puddle. 

It was his lineage. 

His heart crumples, folds in on itself, as his chest constricts. He pushes himself up from the dirt to stand. He can’t afford to feel sorry for himself, not in the midst of a fight. Not when he needs to protect Tobirama. He feels Tobirama’s chakra flare again and he cuts his eyes to him. Tobirama weaving hand signs in rapid succession as the remaining ninja stagger back. 

When they fell upon the two of them, they hadn’t realized just who Tobirama was or who he was with. Senju and Uchiha? They thought it would be easy to dispatch the enemies. They didn’t think they would be fighting with each other instead of against. 

What a peculiar piece of information.

“Water Style: Raging wave!” Tobirama seethes, these ninja were relentless. They just kept coming, no matter how many he cut down, they didn’t have the good sense to flee. Typical Kaminari shinobi. A sharp, pulsating pain shot through Tobirama’s chest, he curled into himself for a brief moment. He used too much chakra. There was a limit, even for someone who had inherited the extensive reserves of the Senju clan. The battle he participated in earlier was catching up to him. If he could just be strong for a little longer then he, no, they would be safe. 

It dawns on him, Kagami wasn’t by his side anymore. He had pushed the younger Uchiha away. His eyes widen as fear shoots up his spine. He had to know if Kagami was safe. He couldn’t bare the thought if he wasn’t. This foreign change of heart was unnerving. He whips his head to the side where Kagami is forming his own seals. A little battered from his fall, dirt stains on his knees and small rocks embedded in his palms, the cut on his cheek drying darkly, but otherwise still capable of holding his own. He was still safe. 

Tobirama breathes a sigh of relief before he winces at the pain radiating from his chakra coils.

“Secret Technique: Caustic firestorm!” Kagami shouts as he rears back, spitting napalm like projectiles. It pieces Tobirama’s raging wave, the projectiles burning through and making the water sizzle and bubble, boiling it. It’s a startling revelation, their techniques intermingling, a perfect compliment of the other. The wave rushes at the enemies, even if they can avoid the water they can’t dodge the needle like structure of Kagami’s napalm hidden in the tides. The needles impaling the enemy and incinerating limbs.

Kagami situates himself at Tobirama’s back, covering it. His shoulder blades pressed up against Tobirama’s armor. Tobirama leans into him as he takes in the destruction of their combined attack. It seemed to work, most of the ninja incapacitated or dead. Tobirama seems satisfied for the moment, before another battalion enters his sensory range. He sneers with displeasure as he hears Kagami hurl fireballs from behind his back. Kagami’s chakra flickering with agitation. Staying and fighting was no longer an option at this point. They needed to get away. But Tobirama had used his all Hirashin kunai to chase Kagami down. 

Tobirama can see only one option, and he hopes that it works, an untested version of the Hirashin, he calls it the Flying Raijin. A long distance space time ninjutsu that he created on a whim to compliment the Hirashin, if he somehow found himself without his kunai and a need to flee. He has just enough chakra for it. He turns on his heel, throwing his arms around Kagami who squawks as he’s pulled against Tobirama’s chest. Kagami’s hands come up to grip Tobirama’s forearm. Feeling Tobirama’s chakra ignite behind him. 

Their surroundings seem to stretch out and then collapse onto them. The sheer pressure of decompression making his stomach kick up into his throat. The shout dies on his lips as his head spins. He feels he’s going to throw up, if he even knew where his stomach was at this point, feels like he’s been disassembled. Pulled apart and thrown into the event horizon of a black hole. 

It’s only a couple seconds but it feels longer, time space is always tricky to navigate. Accelerating too quickly before screeching to a startling halt. Kagami lurches forward as Tobirama’s back hits the wall of the cave they’ve materialized in.

“O-Oh shit…” Kagami slumps forward. He’s never experienced anything like that before. He really isn’t looking forward to that happening again or ever. He picks his head up to glance at their surroundings. The cave’s walls are decorated with all manners of seals and ink, the biggest being the one they’ve appeared under.

The cave is dark, damp, the chill of the air venting through the cool slabs around them. They might not even be in Hi no Kuni, not with the way the temperature seems to have dropped.

He leans back against Tobirama, who grunts at the weight, the pressure, against his ribs. But Tobirama doesn’t remove his arms from around Kagami, pressing his face into the back of Kagami’s hair. Exhaling into his curls, his hot breath rolling down Kagami’s nape.

“You’re so warm…” Kagami sighs, eyes closed as he takes in their combined breathing in the otherwise silent cave. He's content sit there, Tobirama's arms around him and Tobirama's body heat creating a comfortable atmosphere to relax into. He's so comfortable...except... 

“And…wet?” Kagami’s eyes snap open as he removes himself from Tobirama’s embrace. Tobirama makes a face at Kagami’s sudden departure. Kagami wouldn’t exactly call it a pout, but it was definitely a frown.

Kagami puts a hand against his side, the one that was pressed against Tobirama. He activates his sharingan to see clearly in the low light. His palm comes back with a layer of blood. Kagami sucks in a sharp breath as he looks at Tobirama, blood darkening his armor and the stutter of his chest as he struggles to breathe. Tobirama’s eyes are closed, sweat trickling down his temples and coating his throat. He felt the flare from Kagami’s sharingan, closing his eyes on instinct.

“You-You’re hurt! Let me see!” Kagami wrestles with the straps of of Tobirama’s chest plate, his fingers trembling against the frayed knot. Tobirama catches his wrist, Kagami wouldn’t mind the hold if Tobirama wasn’t hindering his movements!

“Do you know medical ninjutsu?” Tobirama asks dryly, his eyes still closed, opting to see with his sensory prowess.

“No…?” Kagami tilts his head and tugs at Tobirama’s grip, frowning at the strength Tobirama still has.  
“Then leave it.”

Kagami bristles. It’s clear to him that Tobirama has difficulty being vulnerable, especially in front of an enemy, an Uchiha, especially in front of someone he had tried to kill earlier that day.

Kagami snatches his hand away, and Tobirama tightens his now empty hand into a fist, lowering it against his thigh. Feeling the riling churn of Kagami’s chakra.

“I know first aid, asshole!” Kagami snaps, his movements quick and efficient as he peels the chest plate off. Kagami huffs as he inspects Tobirama’s side, the kunai lodged between the sixth and seventh rib. The ring of the kunai pressed flush against his skin. Tobirama hisses when Kagami traces the point of entry with his finger. Tobirama doesn’t make a move to stop him, too exhausted to fight Kagami on this, he leans his head back against the cool stone.

“I’m sorry.” Kagami apologizes with a huff as he gets to work. Cutting Tobirama’s undershirt to expose his side, the blood crusting to fuse his skin with the metal of the kunai’s ring. His sharingan allowing him to see the path of the kunai with clarity, it seems the kunai had turned. He won’t be able to get it out without breaking at least one of the ribs. 

Tobirama hums in response. Unsure of what Kagami is apologizing about. He stays quiet as Kagami cleans the dried blood away, using the medical pack he had in his weapons pouch. The antiseptic stings but he’s endured worse. Kagami takes a deep breath as he grips the hilt of the kunai.

“Take a deep breath and then exhale, okay? I’m going to pull on 3.”

Tobirama nods with a slight tilt of his head.  
“1.”  
Tobirama inhales, he can feel the sharp end of the kunai push against his lung threateningly.  
“2.”  
Tobirama readies for an exhale when Kagami yanks the kunai out in one fluid motion. The small, sickly, crack of a rib echoes throughout the small chamber. Tobirama snarls and his eyes snap open to glare at Kagami, who just dangles the kunai in front of him by the ring. His eyes glowing red in the dimness.

Tobirama averts his eyes to stare at the top of the cave.

“Is that what you’re sorry for.” Tobirama’s voice is low, gruff, the exhaustion creeping in.  
“Not at all.” Kagami chirps as he starts to stitch the wound closed.  
“Then…”  
“For snapping at you. Just let me take care of you, please? I know this must be…hard for you. But I’m not going to hurt you…Tobirama…” Kagami whispers as he puts a gauze pad over the stitches, taping it down to the bruised skin, “I just want to take care of you.”

Tobirama puts a hand on the top of Kagami’s head. Kagami looks up from the patch work. Tobirama is looking at him, though not in the eyes, focusing instead on Kagami’s lips or nose. Kagami gives a soft smile and Tobirama feels a flutter in his chest at the sight.

“I’m going to make a fire, don’t move, okay?” Kagami rises from his position on his knees and starts to grab small stones to make a fire pit. He pulls kindling from his pouch and places it in the ring of stones, channeling his chakra into a small stream of fire. The cave lights up with a flickering glow, satisfied that he can see, Kagami lets the sharingan bleed away from his eyes.

“Much better!” Kagami bounces on the balls of his feet, then grimaces at the pain that shoots up his thigh. “Ow…”

“Come here.” Tobirama waves Kagami over and Kagami dutifully comes to sit at his side. Tobirama takes Kagami’s ankle and pulls him closer, Kagami makes a yelp of surprise as he’s dragged. Tobirama places Kagami’s thigh in his lap, inspecting the puncture wound. Kagami blushes, he’s half way on Tobirama’s lap in this position.

“Ah, I can do–”  
“Let me.”

Kagami’s jaw clicks shut as he nods. Tobirama adjusts with a grunt, pulling his weapons pouch out from under him, rifling through it with a deft hand. He pulls his own first aid kit out and cleans away the blood and debris. He frowns when he realizes most of the dirt in the wound is due to him pushing Kagami to the ground. His jaw is tight as he tends to the deep puncture. The touch is tender, uncharacteristic, but he makes an effort to be gentle. He threads the needle with quick precision and as he curls the hooked needle in the skin Kagami gives a squeak and tugs his leg back. Tobirama raises an eyebrow and puts a hand around Kagami’s ankle to keep him still. 

“Be still, soulmate, or the stitches will be crooked. I won’t be responsible for work so sloppy.” Tobirama scolds. Kagami turns red and sputters before Tobirama continues, glancing up at Kagami every now and again until he’s finished. He wraps the wound carefully, tying it off neatly.

“T-thank you.” Kagami slides his eyes to the side and removes his leg slowly. Tobirama cups his face and wipes the dried blood away from his cheek gently. Kagami’s eyes dart to Tobirama’s face. A small, soft, smile playing at the corners of his lips. Kagami leans into the touch, his lashes fluttering, and Tobirama feels something akin to fondness.

“We should rest now.” Tobirama puts their foreheads together gently and Kagami makes a hum of agreement with closed eyes. Kagami is the first to pull away, bringing his hands up to remove Tobirama’s happuri. Tobirama let’s him do just that, his hair falling to his eyebrows.

“There, isn’t that better?” Kagami coo’s. Voice soft, near a whisper, even though it’s just the two of them. Tobirama gives him a small nod before unfastening his fur collar, shrugging out of the rest of his armor. Kagami follows suit, untying his chest plate and putting it to the side. Tobirama adjusts himself to lay on his good side and Kagami takes a spot by the wall before Tobirama motions him over with a twitch of his fingers. Kagami is quick to scurry against him, being mindful of his broken rib. 

Tobirama turns Kagami over and pulls him close, so that his back is flush against Tobirama’s chest. Throwing the pelt over their shoulders. Kagami sighs contentedly, placing an arm under his head as a makeshift pillow. Tobirama’s nose is pressed into his hair again. They’re quiet for awhile and Kagami is almost asleep when he feels, and hears, Tobirama murmur into his neck.

“It is hard.” Tobirama starts, his lips moving against the back of Kagami’s neck. Kagami pushes back into him, just to feel the contact, he remains quiet as Tobirama continues.

“I have grown…accustom to being alone. Even within the ranks of my own clan, be it from the wariness of my clansmen…”

Kagami frowns, his lower lip tucked between his teeth. He couldn’t imagine being ostracized. The Uchiha clan jealously guarded their kin with unmatched ferocity.

“Or….self imposed isolation. Hands placed upon me….were not of the tender sort, save for my brother.”

Tobirama sighs, weighing his next words with careful consideration.

"forgive me...soulmate." Tobirama murmurs into the soft curls, tired eyes closing.

Kagami knows what's coming next. Tobirama has been shunned from his clan, deprived of love and affection and unwilling to give it in return. He can't bear the thought of Tobirama thinking he will turn him away, shun him too.

"I'm too cold, set in my ways...though we are soulmates, destiny bound. You are not...under obligation...even if you feel it's your duty to--"

Kagami suddenly turns around, pushing their foreheads together. Startling Tobirama. Though he makes no move to distance himself from Kagami. Only a slight furrow of his brow betrays him.

He feels Kagami's chakra roar and swirl as the Sharingan activates without his permission, tomoe spinning against the glassy red backdrop of his eyes.

"On purpose...! Tobirama Senju, I will care about you on purpose--love you on purpose!"

Kagami wants him to understand. Wants to burn away, melt, the ice that Tobirama has encased his heart in.  
Tobirama doesn't flinch away from him this time, doesn't push him away. His eyes locked with Kagami's.

"I'll never leave your side....please don't...please don't think I would ever make you feel unloved or unwanted! Because...this--you are what I want!"

Kagami presses his lips against Tobirama's. Half expecting to be shoved away and banished to the other side of the cave for the remainder of their stay. But Tobirama doesn't do either. Feeling the raw devotion, desire....love it would seem, radiating out from Kagami. He deepens the kiss.

It's Kagami's turn to be startled, he makes a small noise of surprise from the back of his throat.

They only pull away for air.

"Such...bold declarations, soulmate..somehow your words don't catch me off guard."

But Kagami makes him feel unguarded, makes him feel free to be. Free to be vulnerable. But Tobirama doesn't trust himself to those words yet, to make such declarations of his own. 

How cruel it would be, to finally love, truly love something death can touch.  
But, ah, even death couldn't be a deterrent. At least not for long.

"It's how...I really feel. Don't you understand?" Kagami whispers against his lips. Half lidded eyes glowing searing Tobirama, his soulmate, into the very archive of his soul.

"I..." Tobirama slides his eyes away. There's no deceit in Kagami's chakra, no deception in his words.

"I do, I do understand." Tobirama's fingers find their way to his name on Kagami's chest. Kagami exhales as Tobirama kisses him again.

Tobirama has always been a man of few words, instead relying on his actions to convey his meanings. Kagami smiles against his lips and he feels that, yes, Kagami understands him as well.

"I want...all of you, Tobirama. Is that selfish?" Kagami sighs into the kiss, their mouths sliding together, an easy fit. Their tongues lave together in smooth strokes. It's unnerving to Tobirama, once again, this change if heart. An effortless transition.

Kagami trails soft kisses along his lower lip to his jaw, finding the soft spot of his pulse point with ease. The angle is awkward for Tobirama, he slides an arm under Kagami to pull him on top, rolling flat on his back to give Kagami better access.

Tobirama makes a small hiss at the newly added weight, paying it little mind as he cards his fingers through Kagami's hair. Pulling Kagami's head up and leaning forward to suckle at the side of his neck, his teeth grazing the tender flesh.

"Ah, should we...be doing this? You're injured." Kagami half hopes, more then half hopes, that Tobirama will won't cease his ministration.

"You know first aid." Is all the warning Kagami gets before Tobirama gently bites down on his neck. Kagami gasps and grinds his hips down into Tobirama, unintentionally. He shifts his hips, embarrassed by his eagerness. But Tobirama’s hand comes to rest reassuringly on his lower back. Tobirama doesn’t seem to mind, adjusting his hips to move firmly against Kagami.

Kagami makes a small “oh” as his hands roam over Tobirama’s chest, fingers splayed out over the soul mark. Tobirama isn’t sure if it’s their combined body heat that’s making him warm, or his head swim. But he gives into it regardless of the origin. The cave fills with soft noises as their bodies writhe together, trying to find purchase on the other.   
—  
Izuna is having a terrible day. He thinks it couldn’t get any worse. First, he couldn’t find his favorite chest plate that morning. He ripped apart his room and was about ready to tear apart Madara’s when he tripped over it and promptly struck the wall. 

Sporting an unsightly black eye, he was called to the north, instead of the west, to fend off a stray Nara faction. His fire ball technique’s were a terrible counter to the Nara’s shadows, the rampant glow of the firelight creating even bigger shadows. It took him much longer then necessary to finish them off.

Then he tried to go to the east, in an attempt to regroup with his brother. Only to be told that he was needed in the west as a reinforcement against Tobirama.   
At least he would be able to face off against his rival. That always put him in a better mood. The elegant curve of Tobirama’s blade as it cuts through the air, the sharpness of his gaze that always finds Izuna on the battlefield. 

Izuna sighed at the thought of his lethal sensor.

He arrived on the battlefield only to be met by foreign ninja. No Tobirama in sight as he cut his way to his clansmen who had taken up arms with the remaining Senju. This was turning into a disaster. But with his arrival came a moral boost for his clan, they were able to cause the Kaminari ninja to fall back.

“Where’s that albino bastard! I’m supposed to be fighting him! not these second rate assholes!” Izuna fumed as he glared down the Senju that had retreated back to regroup on the other side of the field. He could feel the swell of his brothers chakra approaching along with an annoyingly dazzling second signature at his side. 

Izuna rolled his eyes, if Hashirama was coming then Tobirama surely would have already been here.

“Senju Tobirama…?” One of the clansmen chimed in, looking worried at the sight of Izuna’s growing temper.  
“No shit! Who the hell else would it be!” Izuna yelled, whipping around and stomping over.  
“He…He..already…Um…” The clansman stammered, Izuna was the type to kill the messenger and he had barely survived one battle today.

“He already took off after Kagami, when he arrived with the first wave of reinforcements.” Someone else decided to step in, be a martyr for the poor asshole who spoke up first.

“He what?! What do you mean, ‘He took off after Kagami’”  
“Kagami came up over the hill and they both looked like they knew each other. Then Kagami ran and Tobirama chased him into the woods.”

Izuna fell quiet, however, the way his chakra was flaring was anything but. Everyone took a step back from the younger Uchiha heir. How could Kagami and Tobirama know each other? This was going to be Kagami’s first time on a major battlefield. They would have never crossed paths…Unless. Unless this isn’t the first time they’ve seen each other. Unless…

“Kagami!!” Izuna snarled. Tobirama was supposed to be Izuna’s rival. Tobirama was supposed to be his! He had put in so much effort to get close to the sensor and now he finds out that brat had taken off with him! This day just got a whole a lot worse. 

When he finds Kagami…so help him, Amaterasu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izuna enters the fray?! oh boy is he going to be livid! Hashirama and Madara are arriving too. Hell of a reunion that's gonna be! I think i'm going to have to add some tags and edit the rating on this...¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! the last part! There's a good twist in there regarding Izuna! Thank you for the encouragement and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed working on it!

It didn't take long for Hashirama and Madara to arrive on the western front after winning their own conflict in the east. The kaminari shinobi are no match for their combined power.

Madara doesn't take long to zero in, with ease, on his brother. Chakra burning like a wildfire, a bright flare even among a sea of shifting fire.

Madara's brow pinches in concern, his brother's chakra more violent then the norm. Perhaps he's on the losing end of this fight. Madara hopes he's not too late.

"Izuna!" Madara lands nearby, Sharingan active, scanning the vicinity. Nothing appears to be out of place with his younger brother. 

However, Izuna's standing with his fists clenched white on the hilt of his blade, teeth bared in a vicious snarl. He doesn't spare his brother a passing glance. 

His blade sits on the neck of a captured Kaminari shinobi. One that had been brought out from the woods whilst trying to limp away.

The Uchiha don't take prisoners, Izuna intends to make good on that, bringing his blade down. But Madara flickers to his side, in an instant, grabbing him by the shoulders to face him. 

"Izuna...are you alright, are you hurt?" The tomoe spins as Madara checks for injuries, external or otherwise.

"I'm fine, aniki!" Izuna snaps, shrugging Madara's hands off.

"Are you?" Madara raises an inquisitive eyebrow at his blackened eye. 

Hashirama jogs up to Madara's side with a small concerned smile, like he's about to start cooing over the state of Izuna's face. That irks Izuna more then Madara's own fussing.

Izuna hisses at the sight of the loudmouth Senju clan head. Growing, if possible, even more annoyed.

"That happened at home! Like anyone could even touch me! No one ex-"  
"Oh! Where's Tobira?" Hashirama cuts him off, looking every which way for his wayward brother.

Izuna shoots him with a withering glare and Hashirama ducks behind Madara.

The other Uchiha don't bat an eye at the display, far too used to Hashirama's antics regarding the Uchiha heirs. The Kaminari ninja, however, seems stunned.

"He's not here." Izuna grits out through clenched teeth. His chakra whipping back and forth about being reminded of Tobirama's whereabouts or lack thereof.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hashirama peeks over Madara's shoulder and it earns him a smack.

"Back off, Hashirama!"

Izuna looks smug at the pouting Senju, but it does nothing to quell his mounting rage.

"I'm curious as well, where's he gone off to in the midst of a battle?"

"Took off after Kagami!" Someone shouts and Izuna turns the force of his glare to the mass of Uchiha. Not finding the perpetrator, the clan shrinking back from him as a whole to mind their own business.

Madara scrunches up his face in confusion and Hashirama mirrors his expression.

"Why Kagami--"  
"Whose Kagami?"

Madara sighs, bringing two fingers to rub at his temples, a headache forming. 

Two headaches actually, the one behind his eyes and the one standing next to him.

"Mind your own clan, Hashirama, this is Uchiha affairs. Kagami is a younger Uchiha that Izuna had been training."

"This is my business! Tobirama went after someone else!"

"Tobirama isn't supposed to go after anyone who isn't me!" Izuna shouts, sharingan activating in a violent swirl, hair bristling over his shoulders.

"I'm his rival and that traitorous little brat took off with him!" Izuna snarls,   
"when I get my hands on Kagami, he'll be sorry!"

"Take solace in the fact Tobirama may have already killed him." Madara states dryly, in an attempt to calm Izuna's fury. 

He had nothing against Kagami, he was actually quite fond of him, but Izuna was near foaming at the mouth. He had to say something.

"You're speaking of the pale wraith, Senju Tobirama? I saw him, attacked him even."

All three, Madara, Hashirama, and Izuna snap their attention to the shinobi, previously forgotten, on his knees. 

Madara can't put a name to the face Izuna makes next. But his brothers face twists in something like concern, that, however, would be an overly generous assumption.

Izuna, in a blink, has the knife point end of his blade under the shinobi's chin, pushing it up so the ninja has no choice but to look him in the eyes.

"Speak." Izuna hisses pushing the point in, just under his jaw. The ninja smirks, knowing he has the upper hand. He may be on his knees, sword at his throat, a hostage. But one of the Uchiha heirs needs information from him, needs him alive. He's spared for now.

"He was in the arms of a curly haired Uchiha." The kaminari ninja says in a sickly sweet tone with a grin to match.

"He was what?!" Izuna roars, his blade drawn up again and Madara has to hold him back from decapitating the hostage on principle.

"In the woods, when we came upon them. We thought we had an opportunity," The shinobi chuckles humorlessly, "we didn't think they would protect each other. Though, be assured, we inflicted our share of damage."

Izuna's eyes widened and if his jaw wasn't clenched so tightly, it would have dropped.

"Since when did the Senju and Uchiha form such an alliance." He's looking between Madara and Hashirama.

"Where are they now? Where's my brother!" Hashirama interjected, grabbing the kaminari nin by the shirt with a shake, concern growing on his face. Even if the kaminari nin was exaggerating Tobirama may be seriously injured. It's not a risk Hashirama's willing to take.

"Can't say, we had them surrounded...when they disappeared. One moment they were there, then the next the demon threw his arms over the Uchiha, then they're gone."

"Let me go! Aniki! Let me go!" Izuna fights back against his brother's grip, kicking like a petulant child.

"Tobirama and Kagami got away! And he made a friend! Isn't that great, Madara?!" Tobirama's had a change of heart!" Hashirama, drops his hands from the nin and turns his head to Madara  
barely missing the hand aimed at his face.

"Hashirama!! Will you shut up!!" Madara wrestles with a newly infuriated Izuna, angered by Hashirama's remark.

When Madara's certain Izuna isn't going to commit murder, something that would usually be helpful, he lets him go. Izuna wrenching away from him in a huff to fold his arms.

"Well, this is an unforeseen turn of events..." Madara mumbled, his headache intensifying. He had the sneaking suspicion, naturally, that something else was going on. 

Not only had the sudden appearance of the Kaminari ninja caused a cease fire between the two clans...but now one provided information, if not raising more questions, about Tobirama's uncharacteristic behavior involving an Uchiha clan member.

Just what, exactly, was happening.  
\---

"We should head back, are you able to stand?" Tobirama rises with ease, no movement wasted as he pulls his chest plate into place.

Kagami, sprawled out on the floor of the cave, looks up at him. His eyes softening as Tobirama secures the left side of his armor.

"I think I'll be able to." Kagami grins and Tobirama spares him a raised eyebrow in return.

"Here, let me." Kagami stands with a stretch. His curls bounce with each step and Tobirama can feel his heart mimic the movement.

He gently pushes Tobirama's hands away from the fraying string. Humming as he ties the last knot, taking the fur collar from the ground, pulling it over Tobirama's shoulders and clipping it back into place, fluffing it up as he goes.

"So handsome..." Kagami coos, wrapping his arms around Tobirama's chest and sighing against the armor plate. 

Tobirama graces him with a fond smile, placing a gentle kiss into the curly mop just beneath him. Kagami stands on his toes to reach just behind Tobirama's ear, planting a kiss of his own.

"Enough, soulmate, it's time to go."  
"Fine, fine." Kagami pulls away, though keeping his arms where they are. His face twists into confusion as he looks around the cave for an exit.

Realization dawning on him, he chuckles nervously.

"Hey...we're not gonna use that...jutsu to get out of here...are we?" Kagami pouts, his lower lip jutting out, giving his best kicked puppy look which earns him a wry grin from the Senju.

"Of course, there is no other way to exit the cave."

"You're too cruel. I love you and you're going to do this to me." Kagami huffs, burying his face just under the fur.

Tobirama hums as he gathers chakra and Kagami holds onto him tightly, maybe if he closes his eyes he won't want to puke.

He wants to puke anyways. He wonders if he'll ever gain a tolerance for this bizarre jutsu. Whiplash is too gentle a word to describe every atom of his being dissembled and recreated in a blink.

He sways, as the world shifts under his feet, then stumbles. But Tobirama's there to guide him back against his chest, a pillar of strength.

Tobirama looks ahead, multiple chakra signatures burning their way into his sensory field. Senju and Uchiha at a stand still, the barest flicker of a single Kaminari nin as accompaniment.

To Kagami, even without being an admirable sensor, three of the chakra signatures are too bright, too loud, to ignore.

Kagami stiffens, following Tobirama's line of sight to a place he can't physically see.

Tobirama can feel the shift in Kagami's chakra. He's worried, very worried. Of what, or who, Tobirama isn't sure. But he wouldn't let anything happen to Kagami.

"It seems my brother has invited himself onto our battlefield. Though the battle itself has ceased." Tobirama breaks the silence that's fallen over them. 

No doubt Kagami can feel the supernova of Hashirama's chakra in the atmosphere, weighing down over him. Maybe that's where his worry lies.

But Kagami doesn't respond, perhaps it's someone else he's worried about.

"Madara is with him, unsurprisingly." Tobirama's eyes drift down to Kagami, whose wearing a grim expression as his charka ripples and flares with concern.

"Izuna." Kagami whispers, even from this distance, Kagami can feel the swirling vortex of Izuna's hostility. Kagami holds with no uncertainty that most, if not all of it, is reserved for him.

A strange thought in itself but one that Kagami can't seem to shake.

"Oh?" Tobirama replies absentmindedly as if the presence of his long time rival was merely something of an after thought.

"Mhm, he is." Tobirama takes a few steps forward though not hearing Kagami follow he chances a glance back. 

Kagami is rooted to the spot, eyebrows drawn together, lips twisted, teeth peeking out as he grimaces.

Tobirama's beside him in an instant, he places an arm around Kagami's shoulders. Pulling Kagami flush against his side.

"I can sense the fear in your chakra. Don't be afraid, I'm here and I have you."

Kagami's attention snaps to Tobirama, eyes wide at his own declaration of affection, protection. Kagami grins, a blinding show of teeth as he presses himself under Tobirama's arm.

"Come, let us join them."  
"Uh...Is that...really a good idea?"

"No." Tobirama pauses briefly, and despair creeps into the lines of Kagami's eyes, "However, there is little doubt that Hashirama hasn't been alerted to our presence already."

It's Kagami's turn to pause, giving a confused twitch of the lips at Tobirama's indifference.

"But he's not a sensor...even if he was, he would be nowhere near your ability? How could he know where we're at already, I don't even know where we're at!"

Tobirama cracks a smile at the praise. Kagami really did seem to think the best of him.

"Hashirama possesses the mokuton, he needs neither sight nor sound to sense us among the trees."

Kagami's eyes widen as he whips his head around, the trees looming above them. Ever present, ever watchful. He swallows hard. 

The thought that Hashirama's power could be so encompassing is equally awe-inspiring and deeply horrifying.

"Oh...I see. Then...I guess we shouldn't keep them waiting!" Kagami hooks his arm around Tobirama's with a wink.

Tobirama chuckles as they make their way back to the battlefield.  
\--

"Tobirama!" Hashirama whips around to the tree line excitedly and Madara merely folds his arms with a scowl. How convenient that Tobirama would appear now that Hashirama was present.

What was that abominable Senju planning. Whatever it was, it could only lead to misfortune on the side of the Uchiha.

"What are you babbling about now, Hashirama?" Madara activates his Sharingan, scanning the tree line for any sign of life. He can see the barest flicker of blue chakra coupled with a tinge of red, he squints and channels more chakra to his eyes but his vision remains the same. 

He scoffs at the notion that Hashirama could be a better sensor then him.

Tobirama emerges from the treeline, Kagami tucked under his arm, curls peeking out of his side. Izuna narrows his eyes at the overly familiar display. 

His hand shakes on the hilt of his blade, hair bristling as the two advance closer.  
\---

"Let me go first, Tobirama. The Uchiha won't attack if I'm in the way, okay?"  
"Do as you see fit, soulmate."

Kagami takes his position at the front, walking ahead of Tobirama. Unaware of the impending danger that is one Uchiha Izuna.

Izuna snarls, Sharingan in a rapid spin as he flickers towards them. Hurling at breakneck speed towards his target. If he's known as kin slayer after today, he can live still shamelessly.

Hashirama makes move to intervene but Madara places a hand on his shoulder with a shake of his head, this wasn't their fight. He wasn't keen on getting caught up in the affairs of his brother anyways.

"You!" Izuna roars, oxygen splits as he drags his katana. It shines in the sun as he lunges.

Kagami's eyes widen as he throws up his arms to shield himself. But Tobirama is quick, the kunai that had felled him previously gripped tightly as he clashes with Izuna's blade.

The kunai shakes under the weight of Izuna's rage, though he wasn't aiming for Tobirama. Izuna's gaze is fixated on a trembling Kagami who can do no more then produce a weak, nervous, smile.

"Enough, Uchiha."  
"Get out of my way, Senju!" Izuna hisses, bearing down on him.. Tobirama pushes back against Izuna, his greater height and weight giving him an advantage. Izuna staggers back with a growl.

"Kagami! You filthy coward! Step out of that Senju's shadow this instant!" Izuna roars, the metal of the blade reflecting the red of the Sharingan.

"Blood traitor!" Izuna spits the words viciously, hoping the insult produces the desired results. The worst title one Uchiha can give to another.

Kagami straightens up at the insult. Shoulders back, he untangles himself from Tobirama's side to step forward.

Izuna smirks, a show of too many teeth to be friendly, he knows that would draw Kagami out without a fight.

"Uchiha Kagami, "blood traitor" at your service." Kagami bows and Izuna sputters with indignation. Kagami rises, catching Izuna's blade in the loop of his kunai. His eyes shine in the sun, his own Sharingan active.

"Do you really think you can win against me? You don't stand a chance."  
"Funny, you're the second person whose tried to murder me today and you'll be the second person who fails!"

Kunai and katana clash, sparks glittering with each collision. Sweat forms on Kagami's brow as they circle each other. Izuna's visual prowess honed in on how Kagami favors one leg over the other. 

He strikes low and Kagami fumbles to react, dodge the blow. Kagami heaves with exertion as Izuna continues his assault, wearing down the much faster Uchiha with strategic aim.

Tobirama tracks the battle with cautious eyes, calculating the risks with ease. Kagami, quick and clever as he is, doesn't stand a chance against Izuna's experience and pure viciousness.

Kagami staggers, pain radiating out through the puncture wound of his leg. He drops quickly enough and Izuna grins.

This will be the end of it.

Kagami doesn't tear his eyes away though he flinches back from the blade coming down on him.

The attack is, once again, stopped by Tobirama's intervention. In a blink he materializes between Kagami and Izuna. 

Shielding Kagami from the blow, the blade catching his arm guard to cut into, but not pierce, the metal. 

Kagami fists the grass, disappointed in himself. He doesn't want Tobirama to think him weak, he's been exceptional so far with his bold words and actions. But it's clear he's no match for the clan heir like this. 

Maybe one day soon but today he's fallen much like anyone else who faced Izuna. The only difference is that he's still breathing.

"What's the meaning of this?! Why do you keep getting in my way, you albino bastard!" Izuna cuts his eyes up to Tobirama, who meets the Sharingan without hesitation.

"Is it not clear to you? I will not allow you to hurt him." Tobirama's chakra flares something fierce, frigid and ruthless. Steadfast, with enough force to make Izuna wince as it shudders against his chakra network.

Tobirama's declaration throws Izuna off kilter, enough to take a step back, wrenching his blade away. His jaw tightens in frustration. It doesn't make sense.

Why is Tobirama protecting him, protecting an Uchiha, a weakling like Kagami. Who can't even hold his own against him. He could never match Tobirama's ferocity in battle.

"Has genjutsu scrambled that big brain of yours? He's not worth protecting! A worthless opponent in all regards! Why him! For someone who values strength and cunning I fail to see how he's a more suitable rival!"

It's Tobirama's turn to be caught off guard with Izuna prattling on about worthiness, strength and rivals.

Tobirama pauses with a sneer.

"Are you deficient? Kagami isn't my rival."

The phrase stops Izuna in his tracks, his eyes flickering cautiously between Kagami and Tobirama, though his suspicion remains.

"Then...what is he to you? If not someone to test your strength against..." Izuna lowers the blade to his side, gesturing to Tobirama helping Kagami to his feet.

Tobirama raises an eyebrow, assuming through his fury Izuna's blind to the imbolded mark they both bare.

"Simple, he's my--"  
"He's my soulmate!" Kagami shouts, sweeping his arm in a wide arc before jabbing his chest with his thumb.

Izuna's eyes widened, fury renewed. He brings the katana up, pointing it out to lance through Kagami who draws his kunai up to stop the knife point of the blade dead center.

"How stupid do you think I am?!" Izuna grits his teeth as the blade and kunai shake in their stalemate.

"Enough, Izuna. It's true, see for yourself." Tobirama unties his chest plate, letting it hang from the left side as the right side of his under armor is exposed. 

He pulls aside the cloth to reveal the blazing mark.

Under Izuna's scrutinizing gaze he can see it, through the clarity of the Sharingan, the thrumming swirling fire of live chakra. Not a stagnant seal but one that pulsates; resonates in twine with the corresponding source. 

"Soulmates...not rivals after all, ha." He sheaths his blade, turning his face with a huff.

Tobirama feels another pair of Sharingan boring into him, he slides his eyes to the side.

"What the fuck is that?" The spin of Madara's tomoe roams over the name etched in flesh before turning his searing gaze to Kagami no doubt able to see the shimmering mark concealed under his armor.

"They're our soulmarks." Kagami asserts, meeting Madara's gaze without fear.

"Soulmarks..." Hashirama breathes from his place beside Madara.

"Did you know about this, Hashirama?" Madara clicks his tongue with agitation.

"Oh no, Tobirama's never mentioned such a development." Hashirama smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes as a cold fury envelopes the surrounding area.

Kagami shrinks back and Tobirama rolls his eyes.

"Be reasonable, Anija."

Hashirama takes the few steps to his brother, a hand coming down on his shoulder with a squeeze. He's still smiling.

"How long, baby brother?"  
"Anija."  
"Tobirama, tell your Anija how long you've had that name."

The grip on his shoulder tightens. Tobirama remains silent and Madara, it appears, has enough sense to stay quiet as well.

"Ah, Kagami, how old are you?" Hashirama asks, eyes turned up in crescents, though one of his eyelids twitch.

"I-I'm...21?" Kagami stutters, wringing his hands while he looks between Tobirama's cool indifference and Hashirama's delighted facade.

"Over 20 years, Tobira, you've had a soulmark for over 20 years?"

The pressure of Hashirama's chakra bares down on all of them, Tobirama merely picks Hashirama's hand off his shoulder.

"Surprisingly you're capable of simple math. Yes, Anija it's been roughly 20 years."

Vines begin to sprout, crawling up Hashirama's legs and the surrounding greenery shifts. Kagami stands on his tiptoes to avoid the flowers flourishing under foot.

"Hashirama?" Madara comes to his side, gently tugging him away, "It's pointless to be so upset now. Your brother's been on a rampage long enough."

Madara sighs as Hashirama turns to face him with the full force of his dispair, his eyes shining wetly as he throws his arms around Madara who does little more then pat him on the back.

"Madara! How can you be so unaffected! We could've stopped fighting by now! All this time we could have been together!"

"Hashirama!" Madara booms, ears and face an equal shade of red.

Tobirama huffs at his brother's antics and Kagami beams, sliding under Tobirama's arm.

"We can be together now too."  
"Mhm, so we can."  
"Your compound or mine?"

Tobirama chuckles at the way Kagami bats his eyelashes.

"We have to take it before the council, stop the war officially, then, perhaps, we can make our own dwelling."

Kagami grins, daydreaming about their own little house, he's thinking of a small plot of land somewhere outside both their clans estates. Somewhere just for them.

"Oh! Tobira! We're going to need a ceremony! We have to start planning right away! I'm thinking flowers! So many flowers!" Hashirama tears himself away from a ruffled Madara to snatch Tobirama by his fur pelt.

"Madara! We're going back to Senju lands! We need to prepare! I'll write you a letter!" Hashirama calls back as he continues to drag his brother off the field. Tobirama slaps his hands away, fixing his fur and giving a curt nod to the Uchiha.

Tobirama is, once again, amazed at how his brother's moods can swing with ease like a pendulum.

"Hashir--" Madara stops himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hashirama thinks everything is so simple. But there's no use arguing with him now. 

Inwardly, Madara is ecstatic. He won't have to argue with Hashirama ever again, not after today. Perhaps over what they should have for dinner, but nothing beyond simple domestic disputes.

"Kagami, Izuna, we're leaving." Madara beckons them back to the horde of Uchiha with a stiff hand. Kagami takes the opportunity to run ahead, tell everyone whose ever doubted him the good news.

"Izuna..."  
"What is it?"  
"Are you alright? I'm sorry...I understand, now, how you feel abo--"

Izuna cuts him off with a hand.

"Don't confuse your feelings for mine, Aniki, the only "feelings" I have for Tobirama end, abruptly, at his military prowess."  
"What...? But you get so...excited...whe-"

Izuna sighs, running a hand through his ponytail, his brother could be so aggravating when he doted like this.

"It's the fight, Aniki, the pressure of battle and the challenge presented. There's no one else who can match me, it's fun but frustrating. Tobirama is my only equal and I'm his. If I lost that to someone like Kagami I would surely kill myself out of shame. But that's not what this is, that's not what happened."

Madara levels him, stunned, and Izuna only returns his shock with a sly grin.

"I've lost nothing."  
\---

A little over a month later, the war ended officially. No one dared to go against divine intervention, even the clan leaders relent without a fight.

The tension between the clans remains, naturally, generations of ill will doesn't simply vanish over the course of a few weeks. But the hostility has taken a noticeable dive even though a cautious suspicion remains.

The clans gather on neutral territory, somewhere in the recesses of the great forests of fire country. A suitable dwelling for Madara and Hashirama's dream, a village. 

There's few structures built for the time being, the clans aren't ready to leave their ancestral lands quite yet but the simple buildings hold the promise of flourishment.

Hashirama, true to his word, has grown a multitude of various, colorful, flowers, weaving over a grand archway. The clan banners hang on the sides and the clans take their respective places on either side.

Madara and Hashirama stand on the large stage that accommodates the archway. Hashirama with a proud smile and Madara with the ghost of his own. Izuna stands off to the side of Madara, while Hashirama's own brother is center stage with Kagami. All dressed in traditional clan attire.

Tobirama doesn't pay any mind to the grand gathering, not fond of all the burning chakra signatures but there's one that burns brighter than them all. 

Kagami stands in front of him, hands in his, with a grin that must hurt his cheeks and Tobirama returns it with a genuine smile of his own.

Kagami unties the belt of his Obi and Tobirama mimics the movement, they weave them together, a gesture of complete unity among their clans. Binding them together.

"I've loved you for my whole life and if we can spend eternity together, I don't think even that would be enough time with you." Kagami whispers, their faces so close now.

"When I first saw you, really saw you, I knew I would adore you. No one after and no one before you."

Hashirama starts to tear up, trying his best to maintain his composure as a clan head. Madara chuckles at the way Hashirama's face seems to contort and Izuna merely rolls his eyes. Knowing, without a doubt, that'll be his brother in law in the near future.

The ceremony ends with the display of the intertwined Obi knot. There's cheers and whistles from the blended clans, no one is sure, exactly, who's celebrating though they can make out a few choice phrases among the clan members.

"I can't believe Kagami was right."  
"Who would have thought, Uchiha and Senju..."  
"Soulmates...such things actually exist."

The crowd disperses somewhat, some staying to linger and others going about their own businesses.

"Madara! Our wedding should have even more flowers, what do you think about peonies, chrysanthemums?"

Madara sputters, looking around briefly for anyone who would be able to hear Hashirama.

"Hashirama! Don't say things so casually!"  
"Oh, but Madara, I'm being serious. You'll marry me, won't you?"

Madara chokes, of course he would, there's nothing to come between them now. He steadily turns an even shade of red, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I can't believe you would ask me something like that, like my answer would ever be anything other than yes. As if all these years I would want anything else." Madara fumes, trying to hide his delight.

Hashirama grins, hooking their arms together.

"Aniki, what the fuck is that?"

Madara stills, slowly tracking his brother's eyes down to his chest. The genjutsu must have worn off during the celebration.

"Izuna... it's--"  
"We made our own soulmarks! Look Tobirama! Kagami! We match!"

Madara thinks death would be too merciful as Tobirama quirks an eyebrow with a smirk.

"They're upside down?"  
"I didn't use a mirror but! Now I can look at it! I did mine in purple and Madara did his in green!"  
"Sort of crude, the calligraphy, Anija."  
"Madara's is definitely neater."

Madara looks ready to burst a blood vessel and Izuna is howling with laughter while Hashirama coos over the matching marks.

"Soulmate, I think it's time for our departure."  
"Your compound or mine?"  
"How about...our own."

Kagami's eyes widen as Tobirama scoops him up bridal style. Everyone's attention snaps towards them before Tobirama gives a curt nod and Kagami waves farewell.

In a flash of the hiraishin, they're gone.

The swirling vortex of space-time opens up in a kaleidoscope tunnel. Kagami embraces the effect, not fighting against the de-particlization. Their subatomic particles intertwine, there’s no telling where Kagami ends and Tobirama begins and it doesn’t feel anything but natural this time around. He thinks he’s laughing but he can’t be sure.

They materialize, in a blink, somewhere Kagami doesn’t recognize but it seems Tobirama knows the place well. There’s a simple house already built, Kagami can’t sense the thrum of Hashirama’s chakra radiating out from the wood. Tobirama built this place himself.

“Do you like it, soulmate?” Tobirama asks as they cross the threshold, the interior is just as simple as it’s counterpart. 

Kagami marvels at the dwelling, the furniture is sparse but it feels more intimate then the Uchiha compounds, with its single living room, bedroom and kitchen. A home.

“It’s...wonderful, I love it.” Tobirama lets him down and Kagami grins as he traces the furniture and the walls with a flat palm.

Tobirama snakes his hands over Kagami’s midsection, bringing him flush to his chest and Kagami melts into the embrace. Tobirama lifts his head from Kagami’s curls when he feels a spark of chakra ignite.

“Soulmate?”

Kagami turns to him, his eyes shine wetly as the Sharingan spins.

“I don’t think words are enough to etch this instant, burn this moment into my memory. I wish you possessed these eyes, Tobirama, so you’d never have to forget.”

Tobirama chuckles before it blooms into a full body laughter, he cups Kagami’s cheek in his hands, his eyes impossibly soft.

“Fear not, I don’t need the Sharingan to hold this moment. I could never forget something so precious.”

Kagami giggles, with a sniffle, as he stands on his tiptoes and Tobirama leans down so their foreheads come together. The matching red of their eyes glow in the dwindling sun of late afternoon.

“I’ll love you forever.”  
“As will I, Soulmate.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of making a part 2 to this? It was getting a little long and I found a nice stopping point but I would like to explore their relationship in this setting a little more. Plus the reactions from the Senju and Uchiha would be hilarious and Hashirama could finally get that happy ending he (and Madara) wanted!


End file.
